Pistol holster



Jan. 21, 1964 J. c. MANSHEL 3,118,580

PISTOL HOLSTER Filed Dec. 20, 1960 IN V EN TOR. (/4 0/) G /%4 NSHEL Byggfl Afro/a ms ys United States Patent 3,118,586 PISTOL HOLSTER Jack C.Manshel, Pi). Box 106, Palmdale, Calif.

Fiied Dec. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 77,262 1 Claim. 01. 224-2 This inventionrelates to pistol holsters and included in the objects of this inventionare:

First, to provide a pistol holster which is adapted to fit between thetrousers and shirt of the user and includes novel means for hookingengagement with the belt so that the holster is retained in place whenthe pistol is withdrawn.

Second, to provide a pistol holster in which the pistol is normallysecured in place within the holster by the pressure of the users abdomenagainst the pistol and holster, but is readily freed by the involuntarytensing of the abdominal muscles on drawing the pistol from the holster.

Third, to provide a pistol holster which is particularly adapted forshort bore pistols of the type commonly carried by plainelothes policeofiicers, and which incorporates means for carrying extra rounds ofammunition.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view showing the upper portion of a pair oftrousers and the trouser belt and showing the holster by broken linesbehind the trousers and its retaining means by solid lines in front ofthe trousers and showing further the upper portion of a pistol as itappears when positioned in the holster.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial sectional partifl end View of theholster and its retaining means taken through 22 of FIGURE 1 and withthe pistol omitted.

FIGURE 3 is a top or plan view of the holster structure with portionsbroken away and in section.

The holster structure includes a holster member 1 formed of leatherpreferably of two-ply leather folded to form an open loop which islarger at the upper end of the holster member then tapers downwardlytherefrom. The two ends or" the leather laminations from which theholster member is formed are joined to a spacer strip 2 which iscontoured in conformity with the trigger guard of the pistol and theunder side of the barrel thereof. The holster member is adapted toreceive a pistol 3 with the handle thereof projecting above the holstermember as shown in FIGURE 1.

The upper end of the holster member includes two relatively fiat orstraight portions 3 and 4 which diverge from the spacer strip 2. Formedintegrally with the fiat portion '4 which constitutes the outer side ofthe holster member is a bridging web 5 which extends substantially thelength of flat side. The bridging web is adapted, when the holstermember is inserted behind the upper portion of a pair of trousers 6, tooverlie the upper margin of the trousers. The bridging web also extendsover the conventional belt 7 which is threaded through belt loops 3adjacent the upper margin of the trousers. The outer extremity of thebridging web 5 is joined integrally with a downwardly extending panel 9.The panel 9 terminates in a hook portion 10 which passes under the belt7 and extends upwardly between the belt and the trousers. The retainerstructure comprising the bridging "web 5,

3,118,58h Patented Jan. 21, 1964 ice panel 9 and hook 10 is preferablyformed of two plies of leather in the manner of the holster member 1.Interposed bet-ween the two plies of leather is a reinforcing plate 11which extends from the hook 10 across the panel 9 and bridging web 5 andinto the holster member 1 as shown in FIGURE 2. The margins of theleather plies extend slightly beyond the reinforcing plate 11 so thatthey may be sewn together and completely encase the reinforcing plate.The reinforcing plate is preferably formed of steel or aluminum or otherrelatively rigid metal.

Attached to the panel 9 at spaced points is a leather strip which formsa plurality of ammunition loops 12. In the construction illustrated fivesuch loops are provided and each is adapted to receive a cartridge 13.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the holster member 1 is adapted to fit between theupper portion of the trousers and the body of the wearer. The holster isprevented from descending behind the trousers by reason of the bridgingweb 5. The holster is also prevented from being lifted from the trousersby the hook 10. The hook 10, however, terminates short of the bridgingweb 5 a sufiicient distance so that the retaining means may be forceddownward by compressing the upper margin of the trousers until the book10 disengages the belt. Thus, the holster structure may be readilyremoved when desired without removing the belt. However, the retainingmeans securely holds the holster member from being raised when thepistol 3 is withdrawn therefrom.

It will be noted that the holster is particularly designed for the shortbarrel type of piston cornrnonly worn by detectives and plainciothesmen. Under normal conditions the pressure of the body outwardly againstthe holster and the protruding portion of the pistol insures retentionof the pistol in its holster. At the time of withdrawing of the pistolthe body muscles may be tensioned so as to reduce the pressure on thepistol and holster and facilitate withdrawal of the pistol.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown anddescribed, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details ofthe constructions set forth, and it embraces such changes,modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation andarrangement as come within the purview of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a pistol holster suspended within the Waist portion oftrousers having a belt below the upper edge thereof, said pistol holstercomprising:

(a) a holster sheet open folded upon itself;

(b) a narrow spacer strip extending along and interposed between onlythe folded extremities of said holster sheet to space said extremitiesapart and define therewith an edge of a pistol-receiving cavity having alarge upper end opening and a small lower end opening;

(0) said holster sheet forming at least one flat wall extending fromsaid spacer strip;

(d) an integral trouser top and belt-bridging web continuing upwardlyand outwardly from said wall;

(e) an integral panel continuing downwardly from said web parallel toand spaced from said wall and overlying the outside of said waistbandand belt;

(f) an integral belt-hooking element continuing from said panel upwardlybetween and spaced from said 3 panel and said wall and extendingupwardly between said belt and waistband with the upper end of saidhooking element being spaced downwardly from said bridging element adistance substantially equal to the Width of said belt; 5 (g) and acontinuous rigid reinforcing member disposed within said wall of theholster sheet and extending therefrom through said web, panel, andhooking element to maintain said web, panel, and booking element inrigid relation to said holster 10 wall.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bragg Sept. 25, 1906 McKee Apr. 15, 1913 SheltonJune 12, 1917 Michaud Sept. 14, 1926 Graves Aug. 7, 1928 Spann Sept. 9,1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France June 14, 1937

